Ohio and Erie Canal Aquaduct and bridge photograph

Caption reads: "Ohio Erie Canal Aquaduct and bridge at Waverly." Photo depicts the Crooked Creek Aquaduct and bridge along the Ohio Erie Canal in Waverly City, Ohio. The Ohio and Erie Canal was one of Ohio's most important canals during the mid nineteenth century. In 1822, the Ohio legislature realized the importance of internal improvements and created a new Ohio Canal Commission. The Canal Commission eventually recommended a route starting at Lake Erie, passing through the Cuyahoga Valley, the Muskingum Valley, the Licking Valley, and then to the Ohio River along the Scioto Valley. In essence, this proposed route included a combination of the central and eastern Ohio routes. On July 4, 1825 work began on what would become the Ohio and Erie Canal. Once completed, the canals still faced numerous difficulties. Flooding could do serious damage to the locks, walls, and towpaths, requiring extensive repairs. In Waverly, the first canal boat arrived on September 6, 1832, and the canal remained in operation until 1904 when the last canal boat passed through. In the flood of 1913 the Crooked Creek Aquaduct collapsed, although the towpath bridge remained standing